Wheel



Patented Feb. 28, 1939 1 4iJ-mTEo .STATES PATENT v-oFFicala WHEEL -Clyde vH.Linn, New Brighton, Pa. ApplicationzSeptember 25, 1936, Serial No. 102,614 2 claims. (c1. 152-3411) This invention relates 'to lwheels for rcarrying pneumatic tires, and the prime object of the inventionis :to vfacilitate the application and removal of a .tire .from the wheel rin a very simple fand 'eiiective .mannen In v'carrying out the invention, .the Wheel is divided in 'the plane thereof :into inner and outer section-s, fthe inner section to be 4secured to v ythe axle .1in vany common orpreferred manner,

f .stood .that .changes'in the .'form, proportion, size 'and minor details `may be made Within the Vscopeoflthe claims, Without departing from the spirit `or sacrificing any .of the advantages of -the invention.

.In .the drawing:

Figure l :is .an elevation of the inner section of .the .wheel looking at the outer side thereof, .the wheel :section locking means being in retracted or unlocked position; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on .the line 2-12 :of AFigure .fl yshowing theicomplete wheel;

Figure 'z3 is a fragmentary .side elevation .show- .ing ithe `.Wheel -:section 'connecting means in position for connecting the wheel sections;v

yFigure .4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiona View showing .the interfitting of the Wheel secf tions Awith ione of the 'flocking :bolts .in locked poy 4is `sition; and

'Figure is ian yenlarged fragmentary sectional .view illustrating a slig'litmodifrcation "in -the interfitting :of the vvvlrn'eel fsections. 1 `The `,Wheel of the present invention includes separate fsecti'ons, an inner section A vwhich is to :be fixed :to ianaxle, and the outer section B which is to be fdetachably .secured to the 'inner vsection A. While these `,wheel sections may be .of any..desired fform or configuration, .they have been :shown fas .defining a conventional metal Wheel of the disc type with the rim or peripheral portions thereof configured in accordance with standard practice to receive the inner peripheral portion ofv the casing of a conventional pneumatic tire. The wheel section A includes a disc constructed as :may tbe desired. fof course given r.anystandard or preferred con- 5 ibodyxportion .-I anda cylindrical rrimlportion 2.

These .partsnmay .be pressedfrom a single blank, as shown .in the drawing, yor may be other-wise The rim I2 is vfiguration to .fit fthe inner edge portion of the tire casing. The disc ybody .l is .dished 'as :at :3 so that the dished portion lies Within 'the brim of the wheel section. The `fiat "back Wall 4 of `.the dished part is provided with a central openvi1() ring l5 '.to give kaccess 'to the adjacent end of an laxle onwhich the Wheelis mounted. The part 14isalso provided With va plurality of openings -6 to .receive Ithe Abolts ror other fastening means .for .rigidly ksecuring 'the Wheel section to the tlo :hub :of the axle.

The router wheel section B includesia disc body portion 'l dished to Vlie within the cylindrical .rim .portion 8. A central opening 9 of suitable sizeiis:formedin'thelbody portion "l so as "to give 20 access to the 'interior ofthe wheel. This open- .'ing iis Adesigned lto -be :normally -closed by -any .suitable form-*of hub cap. At the 'outer .periphery of `the "body portion 'l -there is van I*outstanding cylindrical vflange 9', and the inner edge :25 of the portion 8 is provided with an Aoutstandfing :cylindrical iiange `lll embracing -and extendving around lthe flange '9'. These flanges are `suitably `secured vtogether as by spot Welding, :'rive'tingfor other-Wise and constitute a cylindrical 30 'flange outstanding from the inner face of the wheel section B. 'This outstanding flange embracesa portion of the rim #2 'of Athe wheel section .A .las best shown lin Figures 2, 4 vand `5. In Figures 2 and 4, the rim of the wheel section :35 A is configured to form an annular seat Il in which the Iiange of the W'heel section B is receiVed, whereas in Figure 5, the rim of the wheel section A does not have such a seat, and ytheiiange of the wheel section B extends entirely across the rim portion I2 of the Wheel section A.

The means for detachably connectinjg the Wheel sections `consists of a plurality of bolts, each Vof which is designated vI3 and is mounted for endwise movement in a radial direction upon A45 the wheel `section A. Each bolt is designed to vhave its outer end lie Within registered slots 'or openings k|'4 and l5 in the overlapped portions of the flange portion of the wheel section B and the A'rim fof the Wheel section A whereby said '50 sections are locked against sidewise separation and also against circumferential looseness. The inner end of each bolt Works through an opening I6 in the dished portion 3 of the Wheel section A, and is provided with an enlarged foot portion il which is provided with an opening through which loosely passes a split ring i8, whereby all of the bolts are connected for simultaneous operation. Each bolt is held at its outward limit in locking position by means of a coiled spring I9, the outer end of which is secured to the rim of the wheel section A as at 2l] while its inner end is connected by a link 2| to the foot portion Il of the bolt and passes loosely through an opening 22 provided in the ydished portion 3 of the wheel section A.` A suitable casing 23 surrounds the spring for protective purposes. A stud or projection 24 is provided upon the bolt and works in a slot 25 provided in the adjacent side of the casing 23, the ends of the slot constituting stops to positively limit the outward and inward movements of the bolt.

For the purpose of simultaneously Withdrawing the bolts against the outward urge of their springs, there is provided means consisting of a pair of levers 25, each fulcrum'ed as at 27 upon the body portion l of the wheel section A. For this purpose a` plate 23 is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the disc body portion I and projects inwardly across the dished portion 3 of the wheel section A so as to afford convenient fulcrum points for the levers. The levers 26 are connected intermediate their ends with the respective ends of the split ring i8 as indicated at 29 and 39. Referring to Figure 3 of the drawing, it will be seen that, with the locking bolts in their outward and locked positions, with the outer ends of the bolts lying within the registered openings it and I5, the levers will be spread apart, and the entire locking mechanism, including the manipulating means therefor, will be rigidly held in this condition by the several springs I9. By moving the outer free ends of the levers inwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 1, the ends of the split ring I8 will be drawntogether, thereby decreasing the diameter of the ring and simultaneously withdrawing the bolts from their locked positions shown in Figure 3 to their unlocked positions shown in Figure 1, whereby the removable wheel section B may be conveniently removed from the wheel section A, thereby permitting the very convenient sidewise removal of the tire from the wheel section A, as there are no obstructions on the wheel section A to interfere with the convenient removal of the tire. Of course the tire should be at least partially de-1 flated prior to removing it from the Wheel section A. l

For holding the lock manipulating means in the retracted positions of the bolts, a latch member 3l is loosely secured to the outer or free end of one of the levers 26, and the outer free end of the other lever is provided with a notch or bifurcation 32 in which the shank portion of the latch memberA il is designed to be received, the outer end of the latch member being provided with an enlargement or head 33 to extend across the notch or bifurcation 32 and hold the outer ends of the levers together as shown in Figurey l of the drawing. Each end portion of the split ring H81 is provided with an adjustable stop 34 in the form of a block having an opening through which the ring passes, and a set screw 35 whereby the block may be adjustably secured upon the ring. Each of these blocks constitutes a stop for engagement with the foot portion of the adjacent locking bolt, in the manner shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, so as to limit the contraction of the split ring i3. As shown in Figure 3, the stop members 34 are not in contact with the foot portions of the adjacent bolts. While the outer end of each bolt is enlarged so as to give a T-shape to the bolt and thereby obtain a greater bearing area upon the walls of the aligned slots i4 and l5, this shape is not absolutely necessary.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily understood that access to the levers 2S may be very conveniently had through the opening 9 in the outer wheel section B, whereby the levers 26 may be conveniently drawn together from their positions shown in Figure 3 to their positions shown in Figure l and the latch member 3l snapped into position, whereby the locking bolts I3 will be withdrawn from their locking positions shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 to their unlocked positions shown in Figure l, and then the wheel section B may be conveniently removed, and the bolts will be maintained in their retracted positions. Upon returning the wheel section B to its position on the wheel section A, the latch 3l may be pushed out of the notch 32, whereupon the springs it will be released and will return to their normal conditions, thus forcing the locking bolts outwardly into their locked positions with the wheel sections A and B electually locked together and the tire held properly between the wheel sections after the tire has been ini-lated.

What I claim is:

i. A vehicle wheel comprising a central body and an outer tire receiving rim divided in the plane of the wheel into inner and outer wheel sections having lapped rim portions, said lapped rim portions having registered openings, radial-Y ly disposed bolts mounted upon said inner wheel section for movement into respective aligned openings in the lapped rim portions, spring means for yieldably maintaining the locking bolts in their locked positions, and control means for simultaneously withdrawing the bolts, said control means including a split ring connected with the respective bolts, levers connected to the respective ends of the split ring and ulcrumed upon the inner wheel section, and latch means for holding the levers in the retracted positions of the bolts.

2. A vehicle wheel comprising a central body and an outer tire receiving rim divided in the plane of the wheel thereof into inner and outer.;

wheel sections having lapped rim portions provided with registered openings, said inner wheel section being dished, and said dished portion constituting a part for connection with an axle, locking means for securing together the lapped rim portions and including locking bolts mounted 'all upon and within'the dished part of the innerr wheel section and movable radially into and out of register with registered openings of the lapped rim portions to prevent lateral separation and relative rotation of the wheel sections, and control means for the locking means, said control means being carried by and located within the 'lished portion of the inner wheel section.

CLYDE H. LINN. 

